A model displays a social game on Sony’s “Xperia Tablet” at the annual Tokyo Game Show in Chiba last month.

Sony Corp. said Friday it is suspending sales of a tablet computer it launched last month, because of a manufacturing error that made some of the units susceptible to water damage, an especially embarrassing glitch since one of the tablet’s main selling points is its water resistance.

The faulty tablets are a setback for Sony’s efforts to build a position in the smartphone and tablet computer markets, currently dominated by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Sony Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai has identified such mobile devices as important growth drivers in his strategy to turn around the company.

Sony started selling the Xperia Tablet S in September. The company initially sold its first two tablets, introduced last year, under the Sony brand but debuted this model under the Xperia brand for the first time to unify the tablet computer line-up with its smartphones, which are already marketed under the brand name.

A Sony spokeswoman said the company didn’t know when it can start reselling the device. Sony said it will be a few weeks until it can start inspecting and repairing the damaged models because of delays in procuring the parts needed to fix the problem.

Of the initial 100,000 units shipped by Sony, 60% of those were exposed to a production error committed by one of the company’s contract manufacturers. Customers complained that there was a gap between the display screen and the back of the tablet. Sony deemed that water could seep into the crevice and damage the device.

Sony said no customers have complained about water damage yet. The company said it will inspect the unsold models to root out the defective models, while offering free inspection and maintenance, if necessary, to customers who already bought the tablet.